Q. Hello. I am the editor for my college paper and we just started using InDesign. We are trying to make default text boxes with headline, cutlines, bylines etc. We want to be able to just let our reporters click on a tab, like you do layers or pages and have it automatically bring in a headline box with our default settings such as the font type and left justified. I could use some help to make this work!
Answer: Create a LIBRARY
Many people are unfamiliar with this feature of InDesign, but it is a powerful tool. It will take a one-time investment in time to set up, but once you do, the Library will be available for all future issues of your newspaper.
First, make a group of typical page layouts on several pages in your newspaper. Create a set of default text boxes with a separate headline boxes. Be methodical — create a single column text box, then create a two-column, three, four, etc. Put the text in — format it the way you desire. Also make up different sized picture boxes with a separate box for the cutline (caption) and photo credit underneath.
Finally, delete the text from the boxes. You now have blank boxes, but the formatting from the text that was there should still be in them.
Now the magic begins. Go to the File drop-down menu and choose New. You’ll have a choice of Document, Document from Template, Book, or Library. Choose Library.
What opens up looks like a blank window. However, if you take your selection tool and select one of your previously-made text boxes in your page layout and drag it into the Library box, it will suddenly appear as a small icon in the Library. You can then drag that item FROM the library and bring it back to your page.
Let’s say you need a 5-column front page article with a 3-column picture box. Just go to your Library and drag those items onto your page layout. You can save any or all parts of a page to the library — from simple text boxes, to extremely complex set ups, like Man on the Street picture/interviews, customized ads — even full pages!
Make sure to save the Library with a filename like “newspaper 5-col library” so it will be easily retrieved. Keep the Library file in with your archive graphics — you know, all the stuff you use for every issue of the paper. Open the Library each time you open your page layout and you’ll soon be comfortable using this time saving feature.
Note: QuarkXPress has this feature, too. In fact. Quark had Libraries long before InDesign was created. In either program, it’s a great way to store any elements that you use regularly.
Great tip!!! something I will now be using when laying out PB.
Great! This is such an underused feature and yet so helpful. Devote one hour to set the library up correctly and it will save you countless hours in the future!